Jon Favreau Talks Iron Man 2: Expectations, Action & More!

Super nice guy Quint over at AICN had the chance a while back (prior to all the Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle news) to sit down with Iron Man director Jon Favreau. It’s a huge interview (took up two posts over at their site) and covers a lot of ground as far as Iron Man 2, The Avengers, and how all the movies involving Marvel Comics characters have to mesh into a cohesive whole.

Here are some bullet points:

While he had mentioned a while back that he was interested in doing at least part of the sequel in IMAX, the realities of the format are making him re-think that idea. It’s much more expensive to shoot, more complicated and he’s not sure that the CGI will look “real” enough in that ultra high resolution format.

Favreau has seen some footage from James Cameron’s upcoming groundbreaking 3D movie Avatar. Favreau says that film will be a “game changer” in regards to the use of 3D and the flawless combining of CGI and live action. There will be aspects of the methods used in Cameron’s film that he will be incorporating into Iron Man 2 in some fashion. Favreau did NOT say anything about the sequel being shot in 3D, however.

Genndy Tartakovsky, a well known animator who’s past work includes Samurai Jack and the 2D Clone Wars mini-episodes, is helping to storyboard and flesh-out action sequences for the movie.

Favreau is much more comfortable with, and open to, the use of CGI in the next film. His intention to go with as much of a practical suit as possible gave way through the filming of the first film as he saw that the CGI suit would allow for greater movement and would look less clunky.

The sequel will continue the classic (older) James Bond movie tone of combining drama with humor.

While he wants the next film to be fun (like the first one), he doesn’t just want it to be a “popcorn movie.” The goal is to also have it be emotionally engaging via the characters.

He talked a lot about The Empire Strikes Back as a great example of a second film in a series, and it seems like he may draw from that (and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan) as far as focusing more on characters than the story, which will serve as more of a framework.

Regarding The Avengers, he said the tone of the characters from their individual movies (Iron Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Thor) has to mesh well, or you’ll end up with a Roger Rabbit feel where “you have Betty Boop next to Daffy Duck next to Donald Duck.” While he’s looking forward to Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, he’s concerned that character will be the most difficult to fit in with the rest.

I highly recommend that you click here for the full interview. Believe me there is a TON more detail there where Favreau talks about The Dark Knight, much more detail about his approach to Iron Man 2, his view of the fans of both the movie and the comic book, and more!